Las Cienegas National Conservation Area

Las Cienegas National Conservation Area
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Cienega Creek
Location of Las Cienegas in the United States.
Location	Pima and Santa Cruz counties, Arizona, United States
Nearest city	Sierra Vista, Arizona
Coordinates	31°46′48″N 110°37′08″W / 31.78°N 110.619°W / 31.78; -110.619Coordinates: 31°46′48″N 110°37′08″W / 31.78°N 110.619°W / 31.78; -110.619
Area	45,000 acres (180 km2)
Established	2000
Governing body	Bureau of Land Management
Website	Las Cienegas National Conservation Area

The Las Cienegas National Conservation Area is a National Conservation Area of Arizona, located in the transitional zone between the Sonoran Desert and the Chihuahuan Desert.

Once facing an uncertain future that almost certainly included housing and commercial development, today more than 45,000 acres (180 km²) of rolling grasslands and woodlands in Arizona’s Pima and Santa Cruz counties are protected as a National Conservation Area. The region’s rolling grasslands, oak-studded hills that connect several "sky island" mountain ranges, and lush riparian corridors are irresistible to both people and wildlife. Ciénega Creek, with its perennial flow and lush riparian corridor, forms the lifeblood of the NCA and supports a diverse plant and animal community.

Thanks to the efforts of local governments, elected officials and the public, the Empire and Cienega ranches, along with portions of the adjacent Rose Tree and Vera Earl ranches, are now under public ownership and managed by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under the principles of multiple-use and ecosystem management for future generations to use and enjoy. The BLM has formed a partnership with the nonprofit Empire Ranch Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving the historic buildings and surrounding landscapes.

Cottonwood trees along Cienega Creek.

An old shack along Cienega Creek.

Bracket fungus in the NCA.